It is not Valentine’s Day. It is not even February. I have no reason to look forward to the season of love, but Target clearly has someone to celebrate with and decided to break out the candles early. There is a whole section dedicated to the holiday—candies, hearts, and the color red take over my senses as I hurry past before I take pity on myself and buy candy I do not need. 

One way Target is celebrating the day of love is with blankets. There were five ten-dollar throws sitting in the home decor area of Target, and my friend dragged me to go buy one for no real reason besides the fact that they were cute and cheap. 

The first blanket is red with large white hearts alternating between upside down and right-side up. “Blanket” is not really the right word for it; it is a throw to lay across a couch or the end of your bed. It will not cover your whole body—this personally frustrates me. Now, this blanket is not outright ugly, but I don’t find it an attractive look either. The hearts are far too large; it is a shout-out, not a subtle nod to Valentine’s. 

The second throw is by far my favorite—this is the one that my friend saw and felt the absolute need to buy. I both completely understood and shook my head simultaneously at her as she picked it up. The plush feel was the perfect thickness for the cold weather tormenting us here in Michigan, but again, I only wish it was longer so I could fully submerge into the fluff. This blanket is white with small pink hearts laying at different angles. It is more subtle than the loud, and honestly, basic red and white blanket. 

The third blanket is pink with half-white-half-red hearts that all lay the same way and are medium-sized. This throw is fine; it’s not the all-consuming cuteness of the second blanket, but it doesn’t seem as basic and ill-favored as the first throw. It most definitely seems like a wise choice when struggling with finding a Valentine’s gift for your significant other, but it just isn’t a meaningful or unique one. 

The fourth blanket is my second favorite and the better version of the first blanket. It is red with small open white hearts. This throw is, of course,  simplistic and basic, but that is what appeals to me. The hearts are spaced out and all go in the same direction—it is effortlessly adorable. 

The fifth and last throw blanket is my mom’s favorite and is more unique than the others. It is white with small, multicolored hearts that all face the same way and are very spaced out. I adore how this blanket can be used year-round and does not seem too valentine centric. It would not have been my first choice, but had I seen it before seeing any others, and had it not been a month before Valentine’s, I might have been tempted to buy this blanket to throw on my bed and to warm my feet with. 

I have to applaud Target’s enthusiasm. It is a tad bit early to celebrate the holiday, but it is never too early to celebrate love, and these absolutely adorable though short blankets are the perfect way to cozy up and show adoration. The cheap price of ten dollars is just one more incentive to buy one of these five fantastic blankets.